1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wrap-around can carton with open ends, which has retaining flaps in the upper corners on each end with bottom locks that lock into the indentation in the bottom ends of the cans to prevent the cans from falling out. This carton may have locks for securing the bottom flaps of the carton together.
2. Prior Art
Wrap-around cartons have been used in the past. When fabricating a carton from a paperboard blank, opposite sides of the blank are conventionally attached to each other by glue or by mechanical locks to form the bottom panel of the carton. In the case of a wrap-around carton, flaps located on the sides of the blank typically are overlapped and engaged with one another by mechanical locks formed in the flaps to form the bottom panel of the carton. Since the bottom panel must maintain its integrity throughout the use of the carton, it is essential that the locking system by capable of supporting the weight of the packaged articles, and remain engaged during shipping and handling of the constructed carton.
One approach to provide such a stable mechanical lock assembly utilizes primary and secondary locks. The primary locks connect the ends of the carton together via the flaps, while the secondary locks function to maintain the engaged flaps in place in order to provide a “backup” locking system to prevent the primary locks from separating. A superior locking system that overcomes many of the deficiencies of prior art locks is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,203 to Sutherland, which describes a mechanical locking system that does not require secondary male locking tabs to extend beyond the end edges of the blank, but which system effectively locks the tabs in place and resists withdrawal of the tabs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,284 (Sutherland, et al.) issued on Nov. 24, 1987 discloses a locking arrangement including both primary and secondary male locks which utilizes a single female aperture for receiving both the primary and secondary male lock.
It would be advantageous to provide a wrap-around carton with open ends which has some means of holding the bottoms of the cans in place so they do not fall out of the open ends of the carton. This would reduce the amount of paperboard required to produce the carton as the carton has open ends.